Sunday, December 31, 2017

At least one
old courthouse wag told me that Luthmann “lucked out” getting the Hon. Jack Weinstein,
DJ (EDNY) on his case --- he has been known to roast Assistant U. S Attorneys that bring him junk
arrests on pseudo-Federal raps --- just like this Luthmann case seems to be

Luthmann and
Judge Weinstein are scheduled to have a little get together on 1/4/18 --- Also, one of my sources
following this case closely has let me know that on or before 1/4/18 the US. Attorney
for the EDNY is likely to >>> ADD <<< some even more substantial
things to the Ruthmann Indictment

Several other
bloggers and freelance journalist types do appear to have an interest in the
ulterior aspects of the charges brought against Richard Luthmann by the “Feds” ---
they think that there might be some kind of collusion between the federal prosecutors and local
politicos like the McMahons

Local dailies, both tabloid and broadsheet, and other media also appear
to have a more general interest in the case,
so it’s expected that there should at least a few reporters from the
establishment media in the courtroom on the 4th of January

***** One very odd
factor that was brought to my attention by one of my more reliable BSIs was that >>> BROOKLYN <<< Conservative Party Chairman Jerry Kassar took
a keen, and rather personal or emotional interest in the Luthmann
Indictment --- purportedly Mr. Kassar sent several gloating
E-mails or social media messages about the Reform Party’s needing “A new General Counsel” and referring to Mr.
Luthmann’s legal problems (it also now seems
possible that Kassar made a singular similar comment right here on this blog a
while back) *****

As a little backfill, here’s part of how the NY Times has reported
on this case:“….In
the tightknit circles of the Staten Island courts, the lawyer Richard Luthmann
has always been a kind of local oddity, styling himself as the borough’s
version of a Nixonian dirty trickster. This summer, when Mr. Luthmann was
accused of creating phony Facebook pages to undermine his enemies in Staten
Island politics, he responded to charges by writing on Facebook: ‘I am a bear
with the taste of blood in my mouth.’ A
devoted fan of ‘Game of Thrones,’ he once asked a judge to let him settle a
lawsuit by dueling with his adversary’s lawyer in what he called his ‘common-law
right to Trial by Combat.’…Volatile,
perennially bow-tied and working from an office in a strip mall upstairs from a
vape shop, Mr. Luthmann, 38, has a reputation for being somewhat strange, but
at least until recently, his colleagues in the Staten Island bar said, he was
considered to be harmless. That, however, changed last week when federal
prosecutors accused him of a raft of bizarre and violent crimes, saying that he
once tried to assassinate a top official in the borough’s Democratic Party and
later sought to pay a stripper to claim that she was raped by a candidate
running for district attorney….Over
the weekend, the accusations against Mr. Luthmann ricocheted across Staten
Island, where lawyers and politicos tried to make sense of the allegations and
figure out if the lawyer whom they had merely thought of as eccentric could
have employed what the government described as ‘Mafia-style tactics.’…”(See “Eccentric, Sure. But a Violent
Criminal? Staten Island Puzzles Over the Case of Richard Luthmann” by Alan
Feuerdec,12/20/17,NY Times[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/20/nyregion/staten-island-richard-luthmann-lawyer.html]).

Here's how the NY Times went on to describe the charges that the
U.S. Attorney brought against Mr. Luthmann:
“…. The broad allegations
against Mr. Luthmann were contained in court papers charging him with running
an outlandish criminal scheme from his office on Victory Boulevard, a few
blocks from the Staten Island Expressway. In an indictment issued on Friday, in
Federal District Court in Brooklyn, prosecutors said that Mr. Luthmann joined
forces with a blind man and two reputed mobsters to pack shipping containers
with ‘cheap filler material’ and fraudulently sell them to a group of local
businesses as scrap metal. In the midst of the plot, prosecutors claim, Mr.
Luthmann turned on one of his partners and had him held at gunpoint to collect
a $7,000 debt…. But according to the
government, the scrap-metal operation was only the tip of Mr. Luthmann’s
iceberg of misconduct. In a detailed memorandum that describes conduct not
charged in the indictment, prosecutors said that for the past several years,
Mr. Luthmann has wielded lawsuits, social media attacks and threats of physical
violence to wage a series of ‘bullying campaigns’ that furthered his ‘vendettas
against his perceived enemies.’…”

***************That's all for now, because I still don't have enough Info to go out on a limb for this guy. However, this case does have the odor of some very old squid sticking to it. And if national news is any guide, lately the DOJ and the FBI might well be running a dirty shop like any dirty local DA types and their even dirtier investigators (look at what his successors have uncovered about Brooklyn DA Hynes and his crew).

Friday, December 22, 2017

News reports have indicated that Marty Golden's "My Life in the Bike Lane" auto-biographical adventure might have an official-looking component --- at least, that's what they say Mayor de Blasio is saying

In any case, it looks like State Senator Marty G and his band of merry supporters, staffers and camp followers are all having something less than a perfect Christmas in this year of 2017 --- with a promise that all of it will be carrying-over into the New Year of 2018..... After all, didn't the Mayor say, "... I will certainly get back to you on that...."

The
Daily News is reporting that "... City
Hall is investigating after after a cyclist said state Sen. Marty Golden used a
parking placard to impersonate a cop.... 'I have to look into
that,' [Mayor] de Blasio said when asked whether [the City of New
York] might revoke Golden’s [special] parking privileges. 'I know that when the
issue came up, folks in my administration who work on those issues were following
up. But I don’t know what’s been learned, so I will certainly get back to you
on that' [the Mayor said]...." (See "City Hall
looking into cop-impersonating state Sen. Marty Golden" by Jillian
Jorgensen, 12/21/17, Daily News/ Politics [http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/city-hall-cop-impersonating-state-sen-marty-golden-article-1.3714734]).

Monday, December 18, 2017

He says that his name has been recently mentioned by some obviously pro-Golden comment-makers on this blog --- and he thinks that is somewhat odd

It certainly seems odd that anybody in Marty Golden's camp would be chiding Jim for staying on the sidelines and only spending his time blogging

Maybe, some keen strategist in the Golden brain trust has figured out that Jim McCall would be an easy guy to take out in a GOP primary for State Senate in the 22nd District

Well, people should watch out what they wish for..... If there were as much clamor from the anti-Golden folks out there as there as has been coming from the obviously pro-Golden folks, there might be a possibility that Jim might entertain a run in the coming year.

And what Jim wanted me to tell him is this --- Is there sufficient support out there for an insurgent like Jim McCall to make a McCall-Golden primary fight worth while ?????

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

RUMOR HAS IT THAT SCOFFLAW GOLDEN --- AKA STATE SENATOR MARTIN GOLDEN --- WAS CAUGHT RIDING THE WRONG WAY IN A BIKE LANE --- THEN, THAT GOLDEN TRIED TO USE HIS "NON-POLICE PLACARD" TO GORILLA THE WRONG GUY

SOON AFTER THE INITIAL BAD-DRIVING INCIDENT, HIS DRIVER --- AND BOY, IT SURE DOES LOOK LIKE IT MIGHT BE MARKO KEPI BEHIND THE WHEEL OF WHAT SURE LOOKS LIKE SSMG'S CADILLAC SUV --- VIOLATED MORE TRAFFIC LAWS TRYING TO ESCAPE THE SCENE AND/OR AVOID HAVING THE STATE SENATOR PHOTOGRAPHED BY THE POTENTIAL MARTY-GOLDEN-VICTIM-TURNED-MARTY-GOLDEN-PURSUER-AND-PHOTOGRAPHIC-HISTORIAN

I'm sure this one will have legs, and it will be the 2017 Christmas gift to Marty Golden that keeps on giving all through 2018.....

Get it from the horse's mouth from an eye-witness complainant at the following: https://twitter.com/search?q=%40bdhowald&src=typd [or search Twitter >>> @bdhowald]. Boy-Oh-Boy !!!!! The Tweet-thread at Mr. Brian Howald's Twitter site is already lit-up and festooned like the Rocky Center Christmas tree with Marty Golden's driving history. What a record of bad and arguably unlawful driving !!!!!

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Hey, folks, I hate to break it to you --- the NYS GOP-Conservative Party swan song was almost twenty-five years ago --- I'll do the math for you (hint: look at the title of this post), it was 1994 --- and that's pretty close to a quarter century ago; so we ain't talkin' news here, we're talkin' HISTORY !!!!!

Another year is coming to an end here in Brooklyn (and rumor has it --- elsewhere in the world, as well). And another election cycle has passed without any real competitiveness from the Republicans or their "allies" in the local branch of the NYS Conservative Party.

The numbers we saw from the tops of OUR tickets in 2017, and even from the contested headliner races down-ballot, were appalling. ( BTW, John Quaglione, if getting close were the same thing as, or even anything like, WINNING, then NAVY would have the Commander-in-Chief Trophy back in Annapolis today and it wouldn't be headed up the Hudson for at least a one year stay at West Point).

The reason we find ourselves in this fix is that people like George Pataki, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg --- who all won election or re-election multiple times on the GOP line since 1994 --- were quintessential RINOs. They ran as Republicans and governed as Democrats. Hey, don't listen to me, look at the enthusiastic endorsements from DC-37 and Ray Rivera.....

One thing that these RINOs didn't do was build up a city- or state-wide Republican Party during their multiple stints as governor and mayor through the late 90s and even on into Millennial times..... BUT, neither did anybody else.

Perhaps even worse, the leaders of the so-called NYS Conservative Party were paid-off handsomely to keep their mouths shut as RINOs Pataki, Giuliani and Bloomberg talked a little bit right, but governed very much left. You will recall that both Mike Long and Jerry Kassar vigorously defended Governor Pataki when various other members of the NYS Conservative Party wanted to pull the line from Governor Pataki.

Back in 1994 it was a completely different story.....

The Clintons had taken Washington by storm and in New York City and State, the Democrats looked pretty much in control (and even though "Rudy" had eked-out a win in 1993, Democrats were already talking about taking out "The Fonse" in a few years). Nonetheless, a relatively unknown George Pataki was running as a conservative-minded protege of "The Fonse," who was still holding court as "Senator Pot-hole"; a very conservative-sounding Herb London was foisted on the GOP to be its NYS Controller candidate by NYS Conservative Party extortion at the GOP convention (BTW, ask Kassar or Mike Long about that one.....); and a little-known Reagan-era U.S. Attorney from western New York, Dennis Vacco, found himself in a race for NYS AG against a self-proclaimed lesbian.

The only thing that kept the top of the GOP ticket from having a near-sweep in 1994 (Bernadette Castro having had no real shot against incumbent U.S. Senator Pat Moynihan) was that the Conservative Party's darling and the "shotgun wedding" Republican nominee for Controller, Herb London, inexplicably endorsed the incumbent Democrat Governor Mario Cuomo for re-election very late in the 1994 campaign. Oddly, Cuomo and London, who were both ahead in the polls at the time of the London endorsement, each found themselves on the losing end of the stick on election day 1994.

Monday, December 4, 2017

That's how many bucks-dollars NYSSMG has funneled back into his family business from his political coffers >>> and more recently from the PUBLIC TROUGH of the NYCCFB --- by tapping into his aide John Quaglione's 2017 campaign funds for his recent city council race <<<

In an article about an issue that finally might have some legs, Chris Bragg, writing for the Albany Times-Union reports that --- "A publicly funded campaign for New York City Council, launched by a longtime staffer for Brooklyn state Sen. Marty Golden, spent $13,000 on a business in which Golden has a substantial financial interest.... The longtime top staffer, John Quaglione, received more than $200,000 in taxpayer dollars from New York City's generous campaign matching funds system. In a campaign for an open southern Brooklyn seat, the Republican lost his race in November to Democrat Justin Brannan.... Golden is the former owner of Bay Ridge Manor, a catering hall in southern Brooklyn. Golden sold the business to his brother after he was elected to the Senate in 2002, but remains the landlord and continues to collect a management fee.... Golden's 2016 financial disclosure form shows that he earned between $145,000 and $270,000 in income connected to Bay Ridge Manor, including at least $100,000 in rental payments...." (See "Lawmaker's business boosted by aide's public campaign funds" by Chris Bragg, 12/4/17, Albany Times-Union/ News[http://m.timesunion.com/news/article/Sen-Golden-s-interest-helped-by-aide-s-public-12404431.php?utm_campaign=twitter-mobile&utm_source=CMS%20Sharing%20Button&utm_medium=social]).

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

The Chris Bragg article went on to provide these additional details: ".... Campaign finance records show that Quaglione spent about $5,700 on a primary event, $4,000 on a volunteer rally and $3,300 on a fundraiser [all at the] Bay Ridge Manor...."

And this: ".... A total of $797,000 in campaign dollars — mostly from Golden's own account — have gone to Bay Ridge Manor, according to campaign finance records. That includes about $22,000 from Golden's campaign itself so far this year...."

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Another war of sorts is kinduh "declared" on the ersatz leadership coalition running the New York State Senate --- but, just remember this (>>> BTW, don't even think about "As Time Goes By" !!! <<<) just because it's ersatz and it looks weak, don't think that the GOP-Conservative-IDC NYS Senate coalition won't continue to survive and prosper as Andy Cuomo's rubber stamp in the Albany.....

According to Julianne
Cuba, in her Boro politics column, "Party Line,"
for the Courier Life's "Brooklyn Daily": ".... Four high-ranking party members penned a
letter to the state Senate Minority Leader Andrea
Stewart-Cousins (D–Westchester) and the breakaway leader Jeff
Klein (D–Bronx) on Nov. 27 pressing
them to forge an alliance — and threatening Klein’s faction with primary
challengers and Stewart-Cousins with a leadership shake-up if they don’t come
to terms...." (See "Deutsch to scuttle own firm by year’s
end" by Julianne Cuba, 11/30/17,
Courier Life's Brooklyn Daily/ News/ Party Line [https://www.brooklyndaily.com/stories/2017/48/pl-party-line-2017-12-01-bk.html]).
It remains to be seen whether this will make any difference ---
this time around, because

--- Cue Harry James & Helen O'Connell ---

"(Da-dump dah dum, dadumpdahdum... Da-dump dah dum, dadumpdahdum)

It seems to me I've heard that song beforeIt's from an old familiar scoreI know it well, that melodyIt's funny how a theme recalls a favorite dreamA dream that brought you so close to meI know each word because I've heard that song beforeThe lyrics said "Forever more"Forever more's a memoryPlease have them play it againAnd I'll remember just whenI heard that lovely song before...." HJ & HO'C by Styne & Cahn(BTW, not a show tune)Nonetheless, in the same column as cited above, Ms. Cuba did go on to quote Simcha Felder (yes, the very same Kings County Conservative Party and NYS GOP Senate Caucus favorite), who seems to have indicated that he would switch his caucus vote to the Dems if an effort to unite NYS Senate Democratic members were to be successful.ALL THIS FOR A MAJORITY OF NYS SENATE DEMOCRATS TO HAVE A CHANCE TO DO ANDY CUOMO'S BIDDING --- JUST LIKE THE GOP-CONSERVATIVE-IDC COALITION !!!!!

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Depending on what Bob Capano and Curtis Sliwa do with the Reform Party in Brooklyn in the next year or two, this might be the biggest change in how the GOP has had to do things since the days of Nelson Rockefeller, Jacob Javits and John Lindsay Jr. (btw, there's a Rockefeller Center and a Javits Center, but where is the Lindsay Center ???)

Are the NYS Reform Party, in its various aspects, there to be the un-Cola to the NYS "Conservatives" ?????

Bob can make himself a bigger deal inside the Brooklyn GOP by being outside of it --- than he ever was able to be/do inside of it. Bob Capano and Curtis Sliwa are in a position to turn lots of things wrt the Brooklyn GOP onto their head(s)..... And one of those things is Jerry Kassar (as in "It was just one of those things one of those crazy flings..." -- CP).

Nonetheless, this whole Reform Party thing is a work in progress. It remains to be seen how much sophistication and heavy lifting Bob and Curtis can (are willing to) bring to the table vis a vis all the other parties active in Brooklyn and/or statewide. So, let me give this new dynamic duo some free advice:

First, have very long and serious talks with the likes of Jeffrey Klein, Diane Savino and other key IDC Democrats;

Next, have very long and serious talks with the likes of Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Michael Gianaris and other key members of the Democrat Minority Caucus (btw, do you see where I'm goin' with this yet ???);

Third (maybe, even a little lower than that), have very long and serious talks with the likes of Ted Ghorra, Nicole Malliotakis and other key "Brooklyn Republicans" (Again, do you see where I'm goin' with this yet ???);

Fourth (maybe, even a little higher than that), have possibly a very short but serious "fuck you and everybody that likes you" talk with the likes of Jerry Kassar, Fran Vella-Marone and other key Brooklyn "Conservatives"; and

Fifth (and this should definitely be done after the "First" through "Fourth" above have been completed) have a very long and serious talk with Justin Brannan: 1) reporting on the results of first four long and serious talks; and 2) (and this is both brilliant and appropriate) paying homage and assuring general fealty to Justin Brannan as the one true "Boss of Bay Ridge"..... (>>> NOW <<< do you see where I'm goin' with this ?????)

--------------------------------

Now, to kick back and enjoy some Sunday football (possible --- because the Meadowlands G-men aren't playing today) !!!!!
BTW, can I have a Diet 7-Up or a Diet Sprite ?????
--- No, not a Diet Coke or Coke Zero, but a Diet Sierra Mist will do.....

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Gatemouth !!! Howard Graubard ??? Who knew ???

--- I worked with the man for years, did lunch, did drinks (didn't do the nasty)..... Now, he's completely out of the closet as "Gatemouth" --- Who next ??? Superman, Batman, Zorro, Mickey Suits, John Catsimatidis ?????

HG's in-depth 2017 NYC election analysis is definitely top notch --- all the way down to the 43rd District City Council race

Let's go right to Mr. Graubard's >>> local <<< look at the "greater Bay Ridge" district:

[As part of an overall Graubard/Gatemeouth rebuttal to a NY Times analysis of the city-wide impact of the Mayor DeBlahblah campaign]

".... Let’s get real here [first, HG analyzed the Yeger-Hikind race; then he got down to Brannan-Quaglione]

.... As for Brannan, he scratched out a victory of 12,516 (50.51 percent) to 11,621 (46.89 percent) over his Republican opponent, John Quaglione—a close race and a stunning contrast to the race four years before, when Quaglione lost 62.76 percent to 35.50 percent.

And there may be an explanation for Quaglione’s improvement.

In the same area where Brannan barely won, the mayor managed only 9,330 votes (36.56 percent) to Malliotakis’ 14,302 (56.05 percent). Sal Albanese, who represented almost all of that area on the council from 1982 to 1997, got 1,119 (4.39 percent) on the Reform line.

How badly was the mayor repudiated here? Well, in the same area, the incumbent councilman, Vincent Gentile—who’d recently run fifth in the countywide district attorney primary while still winning that area—managed to get 48 percent of that district’s votes on the Reform line, without campaigning.

In other words, the mayor ran 14 percent behind a political zombie.

But if one believes The Times, the mayor lent Brannan coattails by getting nearly 3,000 fewer votes and running behind him by almost 14 percent.

Those were not coattails; they were nearly a noose [for Brannan]...."
(See "Election Analysis Reveals Another Tale of Two Cities" by Howard Graubard, 11/15/17, New York Jewish Life [https://nyjlife.com/2017/11/election-analysis-reveals-another-tale-two-cities/]).
______________________________

NOTE: THIS IS THE GRAUBARD/GATEMOUTH ANALYSIS; AND IT DOESN'T CONSIDER THE OCD CONSPIRACY THEORIES THAT WE LOVE HERE AT "BROOKLYN ... FOUNTAINHEAD"

Saturday, November 18, 2017

“REPUBLICAN PARTY STRUCTURE… ??? WE DON’T NEED NO STINKIN’ REPUBLICAN PARTY STRUCTURE... !!!"

--- OR --- WHO’S IN CHARGE HERE; AND WHO’S YOUR DADDY ?????

AND BTW, HOW DOES
ANYBODY EXPLAIN THE APPARENT >>> MAJOR DISCONNECT <<< IN POSSIBLY THE KEY EDs IN THE 2017 CITY
COUNCIL RACE ?????

A few things here in Brooklyn have been brought to my
attention that to some might be very interesting. --- First, how did John Q. do in those parts of the 43rd
Council District that overlapped Nicole’s Assembly District ? Second,
can anybody come up with a good GOP reason why Craig Eaton is on the
Justin Brannan transition team.

The “Kings County Politics” blog sure as hell didn’t bury
their lead on this story, since their
headline blasts out --- “Brannan Transition
Team Includes Golden GOP Adversary” and puts it under a banner entitled “Pure
Politics”….. (See “Brannan Transition
Team Includes Golden GOP Adversary” by
Kadia Goba, 11/17/17, Kings County Politics/ Pure Politics [https://www.kingscountypolitics.com/brannan-transition-team-includes-golden-gop-adversary/]).

The Eaton-Brannan (or is it Brannan-Eaton ???) thing surely looks
like an “In your face, Marty…” kind of
move. At least that’s how it looks to
yours truly; but, hey, what do I know or care about any of it; I’m on the verge of becoming a full-time
Floridian, drinkin’ mimosas and Irish coffee at the Beach Bucket every day with
my Sweetie Pie, and listening to Ronstadt
do “Blue Bayou,” Don McLean doin’ all his
own stuff and other much older oldies by various artists, far too numerous to mention (but, so far, no
Jerry Vale).

THE BIG DISCONNECT

Now, this is something that’s needs some real deep drilling by somebody more in the know than I. --- Do
the results for Nicole Malliotakis and John Quaglione in the Bay Ridge EDs of
the 64th AD add-up, match-up,
link-up or any-other-up you can think of,
other than the obvious >>> f**k-up <<< ?????

Sunday, November 5, 2017

The “Kings County Politics” website reports that Candidate “Q”
has denied any knowledge whatsoever about a last minute mailer on his behalf --- possibly illegally paid for by large scale real estate developers obviously expecting something in
return

This is the same "crew" that got people like State Senator
Martin Golden in hot water with a U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara investigation a
couple of years ago

So much for
all the BS about Marty Golden staffer John Quaglione’s having any media savvy
whatsoever….. When cornered about the
financing surrounding a potentially embarrassing piece of lit being delivered
by mail late in his campaign for City Council,
John Quaglione pleaded complete ignorance about the contents of the
mailing itself and/or who it was that foot the bill.

According to the KCP report by Kadia
Goba, “A
super Political Action Committee (PAC) of realtors backed candidate John Quaglione (R) in
Brooklyn’s 43rd council one week before the general election…. The super PAC, Progress Now New York Inc.,
includes the powerful Real Estate Board of New York PAC (REBNY) and names
Quaglione as the favored Independence Party candidate in a mailing sent to
voters in the district…. Quaglione, who
has worked for State Sen. Marty Golden (R-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Marine
Park, Gerritsen Beach) for nearly two decades, denied knowing about the flyer
as well as its origins….” (See “PAC Money Aids Qugalione In
Last Minute Mailer” by Kadia Gobia, 11/3/17,
Kings County Politics/ 43rd
District City Council Race

QUAGLIONE JUST MADE IT WORSE BY SUGGESTING SOME KIND
OF ILLEGALITY MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED

This
quote by GOP-Conservative-Independence Party candidate Quaglione not only made “Q”
look completely out of it as a candidate,
it also poured gasoline on the already red-hot story. “…. ‘I
have no idea and no knowledge of any groups doing any such activities,’ said
Quaglione when asked about the flyers distributed by the super PAC. ‘To do so
would break the law.’…” It should be
noted that Quags might be right about that
--- according to the campaign
finance laws in play, super PACs
like Progress New York are prohibited from
donating directly to candidates or parties, because they can only express their
support by expenditures completely independent of campaign activites.

BRANNAN QUICK TO SEIZE THE ADVANTAGE WITH A STRONG BOOST BY
KCP

Also in Gobia’s article for”Kings County Politics,” are the following well-quoted remarks by one
of Mr. Quaglione’s opponents --- Justin Brannan: “…. These mailers truly show
what’s at stake in this election.… Wealthy
special interests and big developers have made it clear they’re supporting a
Trump Republican who has tried to decimate rent control and will support
overdevelopment of our neighborhood.’… ‘This
Super PAC is funded by corporations and individuals who want to see towers and
skyscrapers built in Bay Ridge, destroying our quality of life and completely
changing the landscape of our neighborhoods,” said City Councilmember Vincent
Gentile (D-Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach), who employed
Brannan in his office for a number of years.’…”

To help make the import of Mr. Brannan’s quoted remarks even clearer,
the KCP article added this: “… The bedroom community [Bay Ridge] has long resisted large developers
seeking to build high rises in the area. As early as last year, Community Board
10 which represents residents in Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Ft.
Hamilton, fought to reverse a zoning law that allowed residents to expand on
their one- and two-family homes.

NONETHELESS ---
IT’S TOUGH TO GAUGE THE IMPACT OF KCP’S REPORT SO LATE IN THE CYCLE

This report by KCP comes very late in the game
for this year’s City Council race(s).It
remains to be seen if there will/ might be any significant effect on Election
Day, with only three days left until the
polls finally open for business this year.

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Will there be a last second push to reopen a couple of very
old “murder” cases involving a then-prominent Saint Anselm’s family that some
people >>> SAY AND SAY AND SAY <<< involved undue influence by John Quaglione,
Marty Golden, Attorney Arthur Aidala and
former DA Charlie-Joe Hynes --- and, Oh Yes !!! Some "Church" guys too.....

Somebody has thrown a brick through my window and it was
wrapped in the old local urban legend about the very young woman who gave birth
at home and put the baby in the trash with the assistance of (a) sibling(s) --- and, yes, the baby died…..

After some brouhaha,
the case(s) against the girl(s)s was (were) buried in some elephants’ graveyard, probably with a lot of connivance by “… the usual subjects…” in this sort of thing, including some of the local Catholic Church leadership
[YES, I still have that bug up my ass /1/].

My blogging on another site several years ago raked-over this
muck pretty well, so I’m not going to get into any of the gory, sordid and corrupt details >>> AGAIN.

My own recent life experiences have taught me that most
personal tragedies --- involve lots of guilt and recrimination ---
and that forgiveness and love is the one salve that almost always helps to heal many of the open psychological
and spiritual wounds that are part of the fallout.

But this is politics
--- AND THIS IS NOT A KUMBAYA OR “COME
TO JESUS” MOMENT --- so, folks, stand by for a ram….. Probably, the same person that put a little
suggestive mention about this case in a comment on this blog a few weeks ago is
the same person that has sent a detailed letter to several of the principals
involved in the Quaglione, Brannan and Capano races….

===============================

/1/ BTW, the current featured documentary “Keepers” on
Netflix is a very powerful telling of several stories about the murder of a Notre Dame nun (yes,
that’s a another hook to Saint Anselm’s too)
--- Sister “Cathy”
--- almost fifty (50) years ago and the sex abuse
ring active at a Baltimore girls Catholic high school around the same time.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Wearing his other hat, Kings County Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar says that---“…Bob [Capano], who spent tens of thousands of
dollars to come in a distant third with only 579 votes [in the Republican Primary],
will have no effect on the November results…”

For your reading pleasure and to amuse yourself using both
hands, I have included the segment of JK’s latest
opinion piece in and for the >>> Brooklyn Reporter <<<
it specifically talked about Bob Capano'

Well, here goes: “…. Bob Capano was a
Republican, and as a Republican candidate for City Council he made the claim
that he was the only candidate who had always been a Republican. He also
indicated that he would support the winner of the Republican Party primary. He
even showed up at John Quaglione’s victory party where he spoke, pledging his
support for John…. That was then…. Bob, who spent tens of thousands of dollars
to come in a distant third with only 579 votes, will have no effect on the
November results. But that is not the point I wish to make…. Bob has since enrolled in the Reform Party.
So much for his impeccable Republican credentials. As far as him supporting the
winner of the Republican primary, and his appearance and statements at
the Bay Ridge Manor in support of John primary night, well, those went out the
window too…. The failure of candidates
for public office to keep their word is what I find troubling. I have known Bob
for a long time. During that time, all he ever wanted to do was run for office.
This was his third chance, having been supported by the Brooklyn Republican and
Conservative Parties twice and losing in landslides both times…. Then he moved to Staten Island and remained
there for five years, emerging at an address in Brooklyn a few months ago. Once
again, the voters saw through him and the results are what I have indicated…. Bob has every right to run as a Reform Party
candidate. He does not have the right to change his story around to suit his
ambitions whenever he feels like it…. This
is one of the things I dislike most about a business I have worked within my
entire life — candidates that are all about themselves, candidates that
care little for the community and even less for those who might have bested
them and are going forward carrying the banner that they wished to carry…. Sore loser is the common term. But I think
it is quite a bit worse. It really goes to the core of what the person is about.”(See “Common Sense: Trump says ‘no deal’ ” by Jerry Kassar, 10/20/17,
Brooklyn Daily/ Opinion [http://brooklynreporter.com/story/common-sense-trump-says-no-deal/]).

As
one of my favorite frenemies was wont to post on his blog at the time--- “THE QUESTION BEGS…”---in
this instance,what motivated Jerry
Kassar to highlight Bob Capano’s run on the Reform Party line ???---what does Kassar expect that this part of his column to accomplish ???[I know, that’s two separate questions
begging].

BTW,
an interesting all alone drinking game for those of you out there who think
that tippling all alone is perfectly OK
--- pour a jigger-full of Irish
Whiskey down your gullet every time you find a grammatical error in Jerry
Kassar’s “Common Sense” column.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Capano's jibe went something like this: "John Boy, don't you think you owe all the taxpayers Christmas cards ??? You've been getting paid by them your whole adult life...."

Even better, try this one: "How can candidates like Quaglione and Brannan, who can't solve people's real-life problems while working for elected officials, like Golden and Gentile, be expected to do any better as elected officials themselves ???"

John Quaglione seems to have gotten slimed pretty good by Bob Capano at the most recent debate held at Xaverian High School. As of the time of my writing this post, nobody has mentioned to me how Mr. Quaglione responded to Capano's provocation, if at all.

BUT, IF THE SHOE FITS.....

Basically, when it comes to work experience, John Quaglione's begins and ends with Marty Golden.....

Does Quaglione really believe that's enough of a qualification to get elected --- does anybody ???

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Boy, former Congressman and recently declared congressional candidate MICHAEL GRIMM
seems to have a lot of EXTRA MONEY >>> apparently just lying around

NY Law Journal article
suggests some of the $$$$$ Grimm has put out there since his conviction and sentencing
looks like it might not be properly accounted for

For now: “GRIMM’S
MONEY STUFF IS LOOKING STRANGE”

AND I HAVE TO ASK --- ISN'T IT LIKELY THAT THESE HITS WILL JUST KEEP ON
COMING ?????

An article appearing in the print
edition of today’s New York Law Journal opens with this, “Michael
Grimm, who once threatened to throw a reporter off a Capitol Hill balcony,
somehow managed to shed a six-figure debt to Squire Patton Boggs….” (See “This Ex-Congressman Wiped Out Six-Figure Big Law Debt” by
Miriam Rozen, 10/16/17, New York Law Journal/ On-line [http://www.newyorklawjournal.com/id=1202800552759/This-ExCongressman-Wiped-Out-SixFigure-Big-Law-Debt?mcode=1202617075062&curindex=1&slreturn=20170917105513]). So
it does have the look and sound of a hit piece.

Nonetheless, this NYLJ
piece does shine the light on some things that Mike Grimm needs to address
right up front in any attempt to get back into the political arena. Let’s start with these big questions: a) How is it that Grimm's $421,000 legal bill has
been erased, but supposedly Grimm has
raised less than $5,000 --- which would require a formal filling; also where did the money paid into the court
as as Grimm’s mandatory “Restitution” come from ?????

As the wag
that brought this article to my attention put it, “Grimm’s money stuff is looking strange…..”

Thursday, October 12, 2017

COURIER-LIFE’S 10/12/17
“BROOKLYN DAILY” POLITICAL COLUMN “PARTY LINE”
SAYS THAT “EVERYBODY LIES” ---
MEANING CONSERVATIVE PARTY KINGS COUNTY CHAIRMAN JERRY KASSAR AND VICE
CHAIRPERSON FRAN VELLA-MARRONE ARE LYING --- AND EVEN THAT NYS CONSERVATIVE
CHAIRMAN MIKE LONG IS MOST LIKELY DISSEMBLING ABOUT THE SKULDUGGERY THAT
RESULTED IN JOHN QUAGLIONE’S BEING SUBSTITUTED ONTO THE CONSERVATIVE AND
INDEPENDENCE PARTY LINES

According to Julianne Cuba, Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long saysthat “…. Brooklyn Conservative Party chairman Gerry Kassar — who didn’t return a
request for comment and still denies ever being a part of the scheme — was
fully in the know [about the scheme to circumvent the NYS Election Law by
substituting John Quaglione as the City Council Candidate for both the
Conservative and Independence Parties]….
‘Gerry was aware of it, he’s naturally aware of it because it was his
county that ultimately had to make the switch — I had nothing to do with that
part of it, I’m not a delegate,’ [Mike
Long] said…. And Capano is now charging
that the same party leaders who initiated the deal to swap out Conservative and
Independence placeholder candidate John
Bruno — which
insiders said stank of back-room politics —
are trying to silence his campaign by asking him to ‘play dead’ and ‘step aside’
so he won’t take votes away from Quaglione.
He pointed to being left out of the Dyker Heights Civic Association forum on
Oct. 10….” (See “Reform
Party blows up deal to combine conservative lines” by Julianne Cuba 10/12/17,
Courier-Life/ Brooklyn Daily/ Party Line [https://www.brooklyndaily.com/stories/2017/41/pl-party-line-2017-10-13-bk.html]).

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

A Statement from City Council Candidate Bob Capano on His Exclusion From The Dyker Heights Civic Association Debate:

"Although I have been invited to attend every other community City Council debate, including ones sponsored by the Bay Ridge Council on Aging, the Bay Ridge Community Council, the Arab-American Association of New York, and the Bay Ridge Center, I was not asked to participate in the Dyker Heights Civic Association forum.This organization is run by the leaders of the Brooklyn Conservative Party and undoubtedly, they view any public attention that I get as potentially taking away votes from John Quaglione, who recently replaced Mr. Bruno on their ballot line. The Reform Party and I believe the people deserve more choices, not less. It is sad when a community organization puts party politics ahead of allowing their members to hear from all candidates on the ballot on election day."

Monday, October 9, 2017

Newsmax picked up the Grimm ball and ran with it --- its homepage article even quoted Jerry Kassar about Grimm's emergence as a possible candidate against popular Dan Donovan --- --- ---

And WTF !!! Did they really also float Vito's name out there, too ???

Even though it was largely warmed over material that has been mulled over a lot locally, and even on this blog, the fact that a national Republican media outlet like Newsmax has decided to broadcast the Grimm message far and wide with a homepage featured article is a big deal (See "Grimm Seeks NY House Seat with Breitbart Support" by John Gizzi, 10/8/17, Newsmax/ Home [https://www.newsmax.com/johngizzi/former-n-y-rep-michael-grimm-steve-bannon/2017/10/08/id/818430/]).

WILL THIS BE A RACE BETWEEN THE "POPULIST" VERSUS THE "POPULAR" --- OR --- WILL VITO FOSSELLA MAKE IT A THREE-WAY CLUSTER...

Kassar was quoted by Newsmax' regular White House columnist John Gizzi as follows: ".... 'Grimm is a populist-type candidate and as such he has a chance,' Gerard Kassar, Conservative Party chairman of Brooklyn, told Newsmax. 'But he has a long way to go before he will be able to convince the rank-and-file Republican primary voters they should move from Dan to him.'..."Meanwhile, Newsmax and Gizzi seemed to heap high praise on somebody that they thought might be another possible, and even better, candidate against Donovan, Vito Fossella. But according to Newsmax, former Congressman Vito Fossella seems to be sticking with Donovan because of his popularity and support in the district --- ".... Former Rep. Fossella told Newsmax he has no interest in entering the race and is supporting Donovan..... 'Dan Donovan has the reputation of being a well-liked and effective congressman who reflects the priorities of Staten Island and Brooklyn,' [Fossella] said...."

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Suddenly, there are three credible candidates for the STATE SENATOR slot now held by the aging Bay Ridge caterer, MARTIN GOLDEN --- AND --- that is stepping on the news that there are three Republican candidates, named Quaglione, Capano and McCabe --- all still active in campaigns for the City Council

The details and evidence for this stuff is still a little muddled --- but for once, there is actually MORE HERE THAN MEETS THE EYE.

Monday, October 2, 2017

There was a reason that Golden and Quags sat out the Ghorra-fest --- If you're not sure whether the service to which you are invited is going to be a wedding or a funeral, then it's better for you to find a reason not to be there --- it avoids the possibility of lots of different kinds of present and/or future embarrassment(s). (Ahem !!! Can some among my brothers and sisters give me a loud "AMEN" ???)Besides, Marty Golden and John Quaglione would not have found a "safe place" in which they'd be comfortable at the Ghorra-McCabe receptionThe 2017 Republican Kings County Convention was held earlier today. The event took place virtually in secret (and almost as surely on improper and short notice) at the Brooklyn Bar Association on Remsen Street. Twenty-six people were in duh house... but only twenty-three of them were elected members of the Brooklyn Republican County Committee.I won't talk about the preliminaries, other than to say that good order and the proper formalities were not followed..... The need for roll-calls and the obvious absence thereof or any motion(s) to dispense with roll-calls would seem to be high on the list of inadequate formalities and/or the lack of good order.
The vote for "Chairman" was a rather simple and straight forward affair. Three names were put forward for nomination: Ted Ghorra, Steve Maresca and Clorinda Annarummo. However, only Ted Ghorra's name was put up for a vote on the floor. That vote appears to have been one-sided, but Ghorra's total was far from unanimous, since about 84 of the tallied votes did not vote for Ghorra.

The reason that Marty Golden and John Quaglione would not have felt all that welcome at today's Remsem Street gathering, would be that their presence would only have disrupted the Liam McCabe-Ted Ghorra exchange of verbal bouquets. Liam put Ted Ghorra's name in nomination; and for his part, Ted Ghorra said that he was playing the "long game" and that he thought Liam McCabe would be a big part of that "long game" as the Brooklyn GOP's Vice Chairman for Youth Outreach. Several of Liam's people were also given Vice Chairman spots --- although there seemed to have been a problem with a "Raymond Caneletta" that almost sent Liam into one of his legendary spirals.

A couple of days ago, somebody, who was once one of Marty Golden's strongest supporters, called me with a few leads.

The material mentioned in the headlines above was just one of those things..... One of those crazy flings..... [Yeah, that does have the old familiar ring of a showtune doesn't it .....]

The Tweet [From Albanian Marko Kepi ???] includes an article by the SI Advance's political guy, Tom Wrobleski that is a blatant journalistic hit piece aimed at Nicole Malliotakis.

Now, let's close our eyes and say: "MARKO !!!" [answer: "KEPI !!!"]..... [Yeah, that does have the old familiar ring of a GEICO TV ad doesn't it ???]

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ALL OF THAT & THIS ?????

BTW, the material above does seem to flesh out a tweet that appeared on Marko Kepi's personal Twitter space --- "So many fake Republicans out there using our party as a steppingstone for their political careers. Flip flopping as they go.... " (See --- https://www.facebook.com/marko.kepi.3/posts/10154756868752056?pnref=story0> ).

Monday, September 25, 2017

Roger Goodell says that he is "PROUD" of the NFL players' response to President Trump

It's time for all good Americans to boycott all the NFL >> Sons of Bitches <<< --- and anybody & everything giving aid, comfort and support to any and all of the NFL >>> Sons of Bitches <<< whatever their business relationship to the other Sons of Bitches might be

JOIN WITH THE TRUMP-SUPPORTING NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION >>> #TakeAStandNotAKnee <<<AND "TURN OFF THE NFL"

Let's be clear --- any of the players, coaches owners, league and/or team front office personnel, and any networks, announcers, reporters, commentators or media types of any sort that support the players' participating in the so-called National Anthem demonstration(s) from Colin Kaepernick through this Sunday's larger scale demonstrations are >>> Sons of Bitches <<< and their main product, NFL Football, and any related products or media work products, need to be boycotted by the good people in America.

Also join in the social media push back such as #Takeastandnotaknee .....

Monday, September 18, 2017

Perhaps some have counselled Bobby C, using the well-said words of Dylan Thomas, "Do Not go gentle into that Good Night" --- but instead --- "... rage against the dying of the light..."

Many people think that his great Primary Day victory was like a "New Day" for John Quaglione --- and you can't count me among those folks.

But --- there is a flip side to that, and it is this: John Quaglione's great Primary Day victory is just as much a "New Day" for John's Primary Day opponents, Lucretia Regina-Potter, Liam McCabe, and of course Bob Capano, whom I mentioned above in my headlines. However, perhaps, any talk of a "New Day" is premature, because somebody thinks that the "dying of the light" of the day gone by needs to be played out in a different manner and to the beat of a different drum.

MAYBE, HERE'S THE DEAL ABOUT CAPANO'S TAKE ON A "NEW DAY" IN THE 2017 RACE FOR NY CITY COUNCIL

I seem to remember that Bob had put it out there during his campaign in the GOP Primary >>> he was the ONLY Republican candidate running in the 43rd City Council District already on a party ballot line in November. Now, I don't know if that was 100% accurate at the time; however, it is a fact that BOBBY C IS STILL ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER, as the candidate of the Reform Party.

Early this AM, somebody wadded-up a spitball message to me indicating that Bobby C might be planning on doing some kind of campaigning as the Reform Party's candidate in the 43rd District. Well, as sure as night comes before day, maybe JQ's "New Day" hasn't quite started yet --- because at least for somebody in the mix, there is still some raging to be done.....

And here's what I say to that (now folks, please note, this is NOT a show tune):

“Do not go gentle into that good
night,
[All ages] should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

o not go
gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how
bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun
in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with
blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my [brother], there on the sad
height,
Curse, bless me now with [burning] fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

Sunday, September 17, 2017

Is all of the Grimm talk lately, including the article in yesterday's New York Post, somebody's idea of a practical joke ???

In case you were so busy partying after John Quaglione's unlikely huge blowout of his GOP rivals on Primary Day, some people are again talking about a Michael Grimm 2018 race against incumbent Republican Congressman Dan Donovan for the GOP nomination

According to yesterday's article in the NY Post --- "Disgraced Republican ex-Rep. Michael Grimm is set to announce abid to win back his old Staten Island-Brooklyn seatnext year, according to a report — a move opposed by state and local GOP officials.... Grimm was released from federal prison 16 months ago afterserving seven months in the slammeron charges that he falsified tax returns for the Manhattan restaurant he ran before taking office.... He was convicted in 2014.... The Republican is looking to oust GOP Rep. Dan Donovan, Staten Island’s former district attorney, who won a special election after Grimm went to jail in 2015.... Grimm will announce his candidacy at an Oct. 1 rally in New Dorp, NY1 reported Saturday, citing anonymous sources...." (See "Disgraced ex-congressman set to announce run for office' by Mary Kay Linge, 9/16/17, NY Post/ Metro [http://nypost.com/2017/09/16/disgraced-ex-congressman-set-to-announce-run-for-office/]).

"April Fools' Day" is celebrated every year on April 1 by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes; and by the lights of the common definers of such things, the jokers and their victims are referred to as "April fools"; so, in which camp of fools are you counting yourself in this strange week in September 2017 ???

We are the champions, my friendsAnd we'll keep on fighting 'til the endWe are the championsWe are the championsNo time for losers'Cause we are the champions of the world

I've taken my bowsAnd my curtain callsYou brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with itI thank you all

But it's been no bed of rosesNo pleasure cruiseI consider it a challenge before the whole human raceAnd I ain't gonna lose

(And I need just go on and on, and on, and on)

We are the champions, my friendsAnd we'll keep on fighting 'til the endWe are the championsWe are the championsNo time for losers'Cause we are the champions of the world

[One more time, with feeling !!!] We are the champions, my friendsAnd we'll keep on fighting 'til the endWe are the championsWe are the championsNo time for losers'Cause we are the champions of the world

Saturday, September 9, 2017

I have a cold and I was trying to get some rest before going out to dinner with some family members tonight --- that was before I got three different John Quaglione robocalls along with one or two for the other guys running --- And then, I got a marathon filibuster of a call from one of my regular followers (yes, maybe that should be my ONE regular follower) asking, pleading, begging, exhorting (and on and on without any offer of reward or compensation to me of any kind) that I do a feature post about the City Council primaries in Bay Ridge

Since there is only so much torture that a man of my age and in my condition can take, I will succumb --- reluctantly.....

FOR THE REPUBLICANS
The envelope, please !!!

Oh, I guess everybody knew this before I did --- the winner will be >>> LIAM MC CABE <<< in a squeeker over both John Quaglione and Bob Capano, who will be still fighting it out at the wire for second and third, even after the polls have closed. As for Lucretia Regina-Potter, although she will not be that close to the front-runners, she will get enough of a vote in her pockets of strength to show whomever comes in second and/or third that making an early deal with Lucretia and Arnaldo would have been a wiser strategy than trying to shut them out and, more important, shut them down.

Why Liam will come in for the win at the finish ??? Whenever the new kid in the race shows that he can be a credible candidate --- that is a very big advantage. Plus, his argument that all the others have run before and failed miserably is quite compelling.

Why not Quaglione, he's so much better than he was ??? John ran a very good campaign; if both he and Liam were newcomers, I'd even give the edge to John. However, first impressions are lasting, and JQ's bad performance running for the same office in 2013 won't be overlooked by most of the folks this time around.

Doesn't the same argument apply for Bob Capano ??? To a certain extent it does, but 2009 is a very long time ago, and who even remembers that Bob also ran unsuccessfully for the NYS Assembly ??? Bob raised less cash than two of his intra-party opponents, and most of the Democrats as well. That's not great for somebody who lists John Catsimatidis, Curtis Sliwa and Craig Eaton among his strongest supporters..... On the other hand, Bob and his team have waged a long uphill fight largely based on great media presentation and an appeal to the Donald Trump base inside the Brooklyn GOP in Southwest Brooklyn. It's possible that Bob & Co, might have found the winning formula for the 2017 race for CIty Council --- however, I do believe that is unlikely.

Lastly, let's look at Lucretia..... I think it was a strategic blunder for her to have appeared in three (not just two) different places on the GOP Primary ballot throughout the center portion of the 43rd Council District. In those overlapping areas in the 43rd Council District, Lucretia Regina-Potter is running to become Republican State Committee Person (again), Judicial Delegate (again) and Republican candidate for the NY City Council. Her latest robocall invites certain voters to "fill in the circle" next to her name up to three times wherever it might appear on the Republican Primary Ballot. I think that message is too much of a heavy lift for most voters. Nonetheless, I do predict that Lucretia will receive a significant vote on the line for City Council --- possibly even enough to exceed the winners "margin" of victory over the number two vote-getter, possibly even number two and number three.....

AND FOR THE DEMOCRATS

(Yawn !!!)

I said before that I think that Justin Brannan has the edge in this race to succeed his boss, Vinny Gentile --- and that should be enough to enable Justin to hold on and win against all comers, foreign and domestic.

Even though "The Reverend" Khader Al-Yateem has definitely won this year's contest for gargantuan picture posters displayed between Senator and 73rd Streets on Fifth Avenue, remember that the adage "posters don't vote" applies equally to gargantuan sized posters of Palestinian-born clerics running throughout Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and lower Bensonhurst.

About Me

I formerly have commented on various political blogs concerning Republican politics. Although the focus of my political commentary has been on the Brooklyn GOP and other aspects of politics in Brooklyn, I have also posted commentary about national matters.
If you wish to contact Galewyn Massey directly, please, Email to galewynmasban@gmail.com